


Veteran Appreciation

by HollyElizaann



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Happy Veterans Day, Peter makes a speech, Proud Dad Tony, Proud Papa Steve, SuperFam, all the veterans, peter is stony child
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 04:04:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21403903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HollyElizaann/pseuds/HollyElizaann
Summary: Peter stands before a crowd of people, papers in his hand. Maybe his head was making this into a bigger deal than what it is. But this is for his family. They gave him permission to use them to help bring awareness. He had to do right by them, despite his nerves, Peter Parker stands up to the microphone and takes a deep breath, ready to talk about the Veterans in his life.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Steve Rogers, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Kudos: 76





	Veteran Appreciation

**Author's Note:**

> This is for all those who have served. I though about my late grandfather a lot while writing this, He himself would have loved Captain America, and was a Vietnam Air Force veteran himself. This is for all you fighting and who have have fought for our country. Your have sacrificed more than others and it's not unnoticed. We thank you and salute you.

“My name is Peter Parker.” Peter starts into the microphone. “I’m 16 years old and I’m here because I won some essay contest. Everyone in my school wrote something about thanking our Veteran’s, or something along those lines. But I want to give faces to them. So many people say a simple ‘Thank you for your service’ but they don’t know how deep war goes. I know a lot of you must be thinking, what do I, a 16 year old kid get off knowing anything about war. You’re right. I have never been to a war zone. But I have seen the after effects in plenty. People think that once our soldiers come back, that they can return to normal. But old habits die hard, and not everything gets left on the battle field. I’m going to take the opportunity to introduce you all to my family members who have served and who are serving. And before I get started, I’d like to say I asked all of them if I can tell you about their experiences and have received their permission.”

Peter shuffles his papers a bit. “I’m going to start with my Aunt Carol. Captain Carol Susan Jane Danvers with the United States Air Force. She has always stood up to those who said that a girl couldn’t do anything, from baseball, to go carts to becoming an Air Force pilot, she fought off the adversity of being a female in male dominated anything. Her mantra has always been “Higher, Further, Faster” and I personally keep it written on my wall. Carol Danvers never stayed down for anything, everytime she got knocked down, she would get back up. Carol joined the Air Force just after turning 18, and worked through the ranks with her best friend Maria Rambeau, both of them earning the rank of Captain. There she met her Mentor Dr. Wendy Lawson. The two were on a flight test when they were attacked. Captain Danvers was able to fall back and get behind the attacking ship, but they had new technology was attacked from the ship from the rear. The ship was damaged and crashed. Her mentor was fatally injured and she too suffered a bad head wound. Nowadays, since retiring, Carol Danvers works with Maria at a private airport, flying and fixing up planes, but Aunt Carol still suffers from excruciating migraines from that day, where sometimes she can’t even get out of bed, let alone fly. But she still goes on, inspiring other girls to look adversity in the face and laugh, though her time in the air still affects her today.”

Peter stops and shuffles the papers again. “ Next I’d like you all to meet my Uncle Sam.” He pauses for the small chuckle. “Sargent Samuel Thomas Wilson was a Pararescue Airman. He served two tours over seas in Afghanistan. He has helped save soldiers, helped capture bad guys, all to keep us safe. Unfortunately, one person he couldn’t save was his partner Riley. It was a routine rescue operation and he has said that all he could do was watch. After that, Sargent Wilson couldn’t find it in him to stay on active duty and left. He now counsels veterans who have PTSD, and returning from active Duty. It’s where he met My Pops and My Uncle Bucky. Sam’s experience made him question what’s going on over there and now he’s doing his best to help others returning from the war zone.”

Peter pauses again. “Next is Uncle Rhodey. Lieutenant Colonel James Rupert Rhodes of the Air Force has known my Dad Tony Stark for a long time, and if you ask them how they met I’m telling you that the story changes every time. The one thing that never changes is that James Rhodes was part of the Air Force as long as my father has know him. He was the one who led and organized my father’s rescue when he was kidnapped for three months- this was also all before he adopted me and met my Pops. He stood by and defended SI’s new direction to no long create weapons, especially when the enemy can get to them. It wasn’t until a more recent incident that Shot Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes out of the sky and paralyzed his legs. Tony Stark then created him braces which make him now able to walk again, but he has since retired and no longer flies, but still works actively with the Air Force.”

Peter looks down at his papers and takes a deep breath. “My Pops and Uncle Bucky are my last two and I’m telling their story together because it is so intertwined.” The boy closes his eyes and the room is silent. “Sargent James Buchanan Barnes and Captain Steven Grant Rogers were both in the Army. They grew up alongside each other since they were twelve and let me tell you it’s one of my favorite stories, so I’m going to share it with you. Uncle Bucky was thirteen and walking home from school in the streets of Brooklyn where he heard these kids picking on another. He looks in and sees this tiny stick of a kid trying to fight off these three kids who were clearly at least twice his size. And this skinny kid was not backing down, despite getting his own handed to him. So James Barnes steps in, helping the twig of a kid and the bullies go away. When he asks the kid what he thinks he was doing, all he replies with is ‘I don’t like bullies.’ That was how the two met and from all the stories I’ve heard, they were inseparable. Captain Rogers was planning on attending college to get an art degree when his mother passed away when he was 18. He then decided to join the army because he would be able to make a difference- plus it would pay for college. Sargent Barnes also joined as well. Unfortunately, his regiment was captured and When Captain Rogers heard, he went against his commanding officer to set up a rescue mission- which he did successfully. Because he was able to bring back so many men with no casualties on our part, it was glanced over he disobeyed direct orders. With that Captain Rogers and Sargent Barnes staged multiple recon and rescue missions. On their last one, Sargent Barnes ended up being thrown from a train and Captain Rogers had to crash land a plane. When Rogers woke up, he was here in the states and was originally told that Sargent Barnes was lost and presumed dead. He started to fall into a depression. A few months later, Sargent Barnes was found, but he was missing his left arm. He had been a Prisoner of War, and was long gone silent. At this point, Captain Rogers had met Tony Stark. And all I’m going to say on that is first impressions aren’t always the best to go on. But Tony saw Bucky and at this point we don’t know if it was from his newly changed heart or his curiosity to see if he could do it or him trying to impress and woo Captain Rogers-” Peter’s interrupted from a laugh that is his family who knew Steve and Tony well enough to know either option could be true. “But he went and made a fully functional Prosthetic and with the help of Dr. Bruce Banner, he was able to make it so Sargent Barnes has full Capability and can move it as if it was his normal hand again.” Peter smiles and looks up, seeing his family in the crowd Smiling back at him.

“I told you these stories to show you that there are more to Veterans than people realize. All five of these people suffer from side effects, some worse than others. All of them suffer nightmares, all of them cope in different ways. Uncle Sam and Pops have told me stories of men and women they know who have had the police called on them because they were having a war flashback, or a nightmare. I have seen violent nightmares. In fact I would call them Night Terrors. Uncle Bucky gets them the worst. He thrashes and screams. Sometimes he gets out of bed and yells at us, sometimes it may seem like he’s going to hurt us. He’s swung punches at my Pops, his best friend. When he wakes, he always apologizes, but there’s no need to. Some veterans aren’t as lucky. Some end up losing their homes, losing their families. They end up on the street. We as a society needs to be far more understanding and helpful.

“With that being said, I had proposed to Tony Stark and Miss Pepper Potts, we start a new Division of Stark Industries. I know I’m only 16, but I see my family members, I hear stories from my classmates, some like my Pops have lost parents and siblings in the war zone. Some have come home physically but they’re still there. I want to help those who we can. Stark Industries has started a Veterans Program fro Veterans and their families. Counseling And Prosthetics. Somethings we can’t fix. But helping them walk again, helping them regain their lost limbs. We can do something. And on top of that, as a society, we need to be more sympathetic. If a veteran is having a flashback, and if the police are called, the police instead of arresting them, there should be some sort of program in place to support and help them. We all need to help make the change. Thank you.” And with that, Peter stepped down, keeping his eyes on the ground, until his fathers gathered him into a hug. The applause was still going on around them, the people all standing.

“I’m so proud of you.” Tony whispers in his ear and Peter smiles wide. He looks to Steve who’s smile is the only one that rivals his own.

“So am I.” He says, leaning down and giving a kiss to his son’s head. Peter smiles up at the two men, sitting down as the rest of the audience does, squished in the seat between them. He knows within the coming weeks his speech will be all over the news. That people will praise him or condemn him and Tony, saying his father was using him to promote SI. But Pepper had helped him with it. Well It didn’t matter. His fathers were proud and his words were true. That’s all that matters.


End file.
